It’s time to dust off your swatch and get your Members Only jacket drycleaned, because RADwood Austin is coming back to Circuit of the Americas in two weeks. If you’re anywhere within a 2,000-mile radius (i.e., within Texas), you should be at COTA on November 15th for all the fun. If you’ve got a great car from the era, then I’m sure you’re already signed up, but let’s have a little fun and try to imagine what the perfect car would be.
And, since there’s a sweet fashion contest, bonus points for being able to match the perfect outfit with the perfect car. As someone who grew up in Texas in the ’80s and ’90s, this hits me pretty hard, and I have a lot of ideas. I look at some of the totally tubular rides at last year’s event, and I can almost taste the 400 grams I inhaled with each bowl of Rainbow Brite back then.
My initial thought was an SSP Fox Body Mustang, and The Bishop’s piece on that patrol car took me back to the days I used to help my dad look out for the Dr. Pepper Squad hiding out behind billboards on Highway 59. That, plus a period-correct uniform, would be great.
However, there’s one even rarer truck you’d sometimes see on Texas roads growing up, and the sight of one never failed to make my head snap. I’m talking, of course, about the Mexican-market Dodge Ramcharger. This is a second-generation Dodge Ram done up as an SUV. Not only does it have the incredible “big rig” style hood, it’s also a two-door for some reason?
These allegedly existed with both a four-speed manual and Dodge’s beloved 5.9-liter V8, though I’m not 100% sure you could get both. The smaller V8 with the manual would still be quite excellent.
That, and dressing up like Edward James Olmos from Selena with the overpatterned short-sleeved collared tee and whiskey-colored glasses would be perfect. It takes me back to my days growing up in Corpus Christi.
Now it’s your turn. What’s the perfect RADwood Austin ride/outfit combo?
And, as a reminder from Hagerty, who is partnering with us on this post:
Celebrate the 80s & 90s at RADwood AustinBust out the Ray-Bans and crank up the mixtape because RADwood® Austin is back at Circuit of The Americas for our 6th annual bash — and it’s gonna be totally bodacious.Get ready for wicked rides from the ’80s and ’90s, killer jams straight out of your Walkman days, and a fashion contest glow-up that’s bigger and badder than ever before. We’re leveling up with VIP hospitality, expanded awards, and plenty more rad surprises.November 15 | 11am – 3:30pm CT
Circuit of The Americas | Austin, TX
Also let me know in the comments if you’re already planning to go!
Top photo: Hagerty
I went! Perfect weather.
Things I loved:
* squire wagons
* fiero row
* ford probe
* toyota starlet
* a good variety of big ass American trucks
Too few:
* only saw a single el camino
* no brat?
* no bronco II? One 1 or 2 broncos?
* XJs or Explorers
* no mexican beatles?
Too many?
* supras / 300zs
* mr2 / miata
* soooo many porches
I was hoping to bring my Geo this year but I’ll be there in my LTD Country Squire! As for outfit, it’s finally not gonna be in the spring so I might actually bust out an aged Figment Epcot shirt I found a decade ago at an antique store.
I used to live in Beamount, TX, which is within a day’s drive to Austin. But I don’t anymore, and anything I drove then and now (in Washington) wasn’t/isn’t Radwood worthy. But, if I still lived there, I’d probably make the trip to see what showed up and meet you guys.
If it were still around, I’d loved to have brought my ’71 Peugeot 504 with a Bearcat police/fire scanner, press photographer plates and a short antenna on the back deck that I wired to the scanner myself. That car was probably peak me.
On vacation in Mendocino, CA, someone left a note on the windshield wondering whether I was a CIA agent. But they didn’t break the glass or do anything more than leave the note. People there are nice like that. My favorite place on the planet, so far.
1986 Saab 900 spg in black with louvres on the hatch obviously.
How about replacing the whole hatch with a Toppola? https://www.theautopian.com/this-fiberglass-bolt-on-camper-was-designed-to-replace-the-rear-hatch-of-a-saab-lets-mock-up-a-modern-version/
Shit, if I was going to do the Toppolla, an ‘86 8v base model in navy blue would be the car. Though navy blue may have only been available in ‘84. It would be so beautifully slow with an 8v too.
What bad karma did that car do to get that on its back? That is hideous!
Its not a creative or niche choice, but I’d be going with an AW11 MR2. Red or Teal.
I had to read this multiple times before realizing it was talking about actual sugar and not the “booger” variety (we are talking about something measured in grams in an 80’s-centric article after all).
I’d probably just rock my Jamaica resort Brian Flanagan costume from this year’s 80’s Halloween party and drive a teal 89 Amigo (you know it’s got a dealer-applied pink paint splash graphic).
Aston Martin Lagonda Series 2
That would be perfect.
Wolfsburg Edition VW Rabbit Convertible, with the white top, white exterior, white interior and white wheels.
Driven by Heather Graham?
Ah, License to Drive…
There’s one in “Under the Silver Lake” and “Clueless”
I’ve been to RADwood events twice, once in the 1988 200SX SE V6, and once in the 90 Ram 50 4×4. The truck actually got more attention (and a Raddest Truck trophy).
The perfect RADwood car, to me, has all the following going for it:
1) The most culturally significant class of the 80s, the minivan.
2) An example of another late 70s/80s phenomenon, the captive import.
3) Dead nameplate
4) Boxy sheet metal – a canvas for rad graphics
5) Space for lots of period accessories, boom boxes, Ataris, etc.
I’m speaking of course of the 1984-91 Plymouth Colt Vista.
Also acceptable for a more ’90s vibe would be a white Eagle Summit wagon with Jazz Cup graphics.
BTW Matt, all Ramchargers of every generation were 2-doors. They were meant to compete with the original Blazer and full-size Bronco which were also only offered with two doors.